Author Topic: reinstallment failed totally  (Read 15253 times)

Claus

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reinstallment failed totally
« on: June 22, 2020, 12:56:39 pm »
In 2016 I had bought and installed KMEM, KLAX, KLAS, KDFW, KJFK, CYVR and GSX. The reg-Keys are and have been in the respective subfolder of "user". The invoices I have at hand. One of the several invoices has the number STxxxxxxxx

A few days ago I had to uninstall and reinstall FSX at the very same place. Then I tried to reinstall the a.o. sceneries, but failed. The installers never found FSX automatically, I had to install manually. But I only can see the passenger bridges. And  there is no addon manager at all in the addons menue. All the reg-Keys are at the same place, they haven't been moved ever.

So, what can I do now?

Regards
Claus
« Last Edit: June 25, 2020, 02:25:11 pm by virtuali »

virtuali

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2020, 02:30:29 pm »
The installers never found FSX automatically, I had to install manually.

This already indicates a problem, which of course doesn't have antyhing to do with our product, activation or antyhing like that. Assuming you are using the CURRENT version of the installers ( if not, download them all ), the installer SHOULD find FSX and if it doesn't, it's no use continuing because, if the installer couldn't find FSX, it 100% sure nothing will work there.

You cannot just "reinstall in place" FSX. You MUST Uninstall it and reinstall it, because the FSX uninstaller MUST clear some registry keys and the installer MUST restore them correctly and, especially in case of FSX:Steam, they *change* depending if you had the ORIGINAL FSX still installed ( or not ) when you originally installed, which might not be the same as when reinstalling FSX:SE without the original FSX anymore.

Many users do the mistake of

- installing FSX:SE *together* with FSX, which will configure FSX:SE in "side-by-side" mode, with entirely different registry keys

- remove the original FSX later on, but keep FSX:SE installer as it were. Worse possible case, they remove FSX by hand.

- reinstalling FSX:SE again.

This will 100% result in a big mess. Could be you did something similar ?

Claus

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2020, 05:11:53 pm »
Thanks for the response.

Unfortunately no such mistakes were done.

I never have had a FSX Steam-Edition.
I removed FSX by using the official uninstall program on FSX DVD # 1
I then reinstalled it with those two FSX-DVDs.
I used all the installers from your website. They all asked me to disclose the path to FSX on harddrive "E", what I did.
I double-klicked the Reg-Keys, stored in harddrive "C"/user/"my name". I was told, now the keys were restored to the registry successfully...

...and I ended up with just your passenger bridges hanging around on empty airfields.

Today I repeated the whole procedures one more time, i.e. FSX completely deinstalled and then reinstalled, FSUIPC reinstalled, all the installers used, downloaded fresh from your website. The difference comparing to the previous installation indeed is, that this time the installers found the path to FSX automatically (didn't ask me for that) and they all declared in the end, that all the airports and GSX now were installed properly.

But that isn't the case, I am still seeing passenger bridges and nothing else - just as if I haven't paid your invoices.. And FSX's add-on dropdown menue showing FSUIPC only, not your Addon Manager.

I need your help, sir...

Regards
Claus

virtuali

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2020, 11:39:13 am »
I used all the installers from your website. They all asked me to disclose the path to FSX on harddrive "E", what I did.
I double-klicked the Reg-Keys, stored in harddrive "C"/user/"my name". I was told, now the keys were restored to the registry successfully...

You mean you used very OLD installers from our website ?

Quote
Today I repeated the whole procedures one more time, i.e. FSX completely deinstalled and then reinstalled, FSUIPC reinstalled, all the installers used, downloaded fresh from your website. The difference comparing to the previous installation indeed is, that this time the installers found the path to FSX automatically (didn't ask me for that) and they all declared in the end, that all the airports and GSX now were installed properly.

I was sure the newest installers worked, since they are generally more resilient to problems with the FSX install and their registry, which changed on more recent OS version.

Quote
But that isn't the case, I am still seeing passenger bridges and nothing else - just as if I haven't paid your invoices.

That's not the case. You are confusing Trial with "software not loaded". When you are in Trial, everything will work in full, just for 5-6 minutes at time. THIS is Trial mode. If you don't see anything, it's not Trial mode, it's "software not loaded"

Quote
And FSX's add-on dropdown menue showing FSUIPC only, not your Addon Manager.

That's the problem. The software hasn't loaded.

If you absolutely sure your antivirus is properly configured, and your firewall is not blocking the download, the thread named "Addon Manager not showing up in P3Dv4 **SOLVED**" thread lists all the known solutions for missing menu entries from the "Addons" menu:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,17484.msg122656.html#msg122656

Even if the title says P3D4, the solutions are valid for FSX as well.

Claus

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2020, 06:37:05 pm »
Short question in between: Where should the Addon-Manager folder be stored, besides FSX folder or inside FSX folder? In my case it is located at the same level that FSX has, so outside FSX. And all installers forced me to store the airports software inside the Addon-Manager (and so outside FSX). Other options were greyed out.

virtuali

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2020, 06:51:36 pm »
Where should the Addon-Manager folder be stored, besides FSX folder or inside FSX folder?

Our installers default to C:\Program Files (x86)\Addon Manager so, if you haven't changed it, it's perfectly fine to install there.

You CAN change it ( for example if you don't have enough space on C: ), so after the first installation, all other FSDT products will go there in that folder you chose on the first install. Nothing prevents you to choose a folder "inside" FSX, but I wouldn't do that, since the software is designed to work just fine outside of it.

If you realized you made a mistake or changed your mind and want to install elsewhere, you can do that as follows:

- uninstall all your FSDT products.

- Reply YES to the question "Do you want to remove the Addon Manager"

- reinstall, now the first product you install will let you choose a folder, the other one will automatically go there. Default location is perfectly fine, unless you don't have space on C: so, just choose another drive like D: ( which will install in D:\Addon Manager ), etc.

Claus

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2020, 03:58:30 pm »
Status as per now:

Uninstalled all FSDT-files using their uninstall buttons, deleted all FSDT products in the FSX addon scenery including Addon manager. Then started all over again.
1. First thing was double klicks on all reg. files stored in C/Users/my name.
2. Then downloaded and installed the GSX level 2 expansion. Asked where to store it, I stored it directly on harddrive E (remaining space in C is too small).
2. Downloaded and installed the payware GSX (which obviously is identical to the expansion program listed above No. 1). Was advised to install it on E as well.
3. Downloaded and installed KMEM scenery with "update check". Then found it in E/Addon Manager/FS DreamTeam/KMEM (together with Exclude).

Opened FSX scenery library, found KMEM there as Nr. 1, Exlude right behind it at Nr. 2.
Choose KMEM as airport to go to and went there...:Airfield totally empty, no standard scenery, even none of your Passenger bridges any longer.

But something is new: In the addon dropdown menue now SODE 1.7.1 appears. Its "Test DLL connection" was active, but not the other options.

virtuali

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2020, 04:03:11 pm »
But something is new: In the addon dropdown menue now SODE 1.7.1 appears. Its "Test DLL connection" was active, but not the other options.

You still have the same problem as before, the software hasn't loaded.

If you absolutely sure your antivirus is properly configured, and your firewall is not blocking the download, the thread named "Addon Manager not showing up in P3Dv4 **SOLVED**" thread lists all the known solutions for missing menu entries from the "Addons" menu:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,17484.msg122656.html#msg122656

Even if the title says P3D4, the solutions are valid for FSX as well.

Claus

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2020, 06:35:00 pm »
Hello Umberto,

Quote
You still have the same problem as before, the software hasn't loaded.

I don't think, that this is the case. See the attached five screenshots. (1) MEM is in the FSX library. (2) The path to that scenery is correctly shown. (3) In MEM there is an empty field. (4) In ORD ground textures and bridges are shown correctly - and nothing else. (5) all the Reg-Keys are at disposal for the installers.

Quote
If you absolutely sure your antivirus is properly configured, and your firewall is not blocking the download, the thread named "Addon Manager not showing up in P3Dv4 **SOLVED**" thread lists all the known solutions for missing menu entries from the "Addons" menu:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,17484.msg122656.html#msg122656

I have no firewall and no antivirus program active (this machine is exclusively for online flight simulation and needs nospecific protection).

The problem in that thread overthere was obviously solved by installing a newer edition of P3D. The other guys there describing their own problems and asking for help haven' got it. That thread doesn't help me at all, since I have the newest version of  FSX.

And beyond that: I am a lawyer, not an IT-specialist. As such, I cannot deal with most of the advises given there.

Regards
Claus

P. S. My suspicion is, that the Reg-Keys are unvalid meanwhile.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2020, 12:42:40 am by virtuali »

virtuali

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2020, 07:39:03 pm »
I don't think, that this is the case. See the attached five screenshots. (1) MEM is in the FSX library. (2) The path to that scenery is correctly shown. (3) In MEM there is an empty field. (4) In ORD ground textures and bridges are shown correctly - and nothing else. (5) all the Reg-Keys are at disposal for the installers.

Nowhere I said the "scenery" is not installed. I said the problem is the software hasn't loaded, because you don't see it in the Addons menu.

Quote
I have no firewall and no antivirus program active (this machine is exclusively for online flight simulation and needs nospecific protection).

Are you sure you don't have an antivirus, not even the default Windows Defender ?

Claus

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2020, 08:34:05 pm »
Yes, I am sure, that there is no antivirus program installed on this machine. And yes, the Defender is inactive, see attached screenshot, made a few seconds ago. Translatet into English: This computer hasn't been checked since 24 days. It is recommended, to have the computer checked on a daily basis.

virtuali

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2020, 12:45:49 am »
Translatet into English: This computer hasn't been checked since 24 days. It is recommended, to have the computer checked on a daily basis.

That doesn't mean the antivirus is disabled. It only means you haven't run a full scan in a while.

In fact, if there was no antivirus, you wouldn't even get that message in the first place, because that message IS coming from Windows Defender so yes, you do have installed and it's working, and it's suggesting to start an automatic scan of your files. Disabling automatic scanning is not the same thing as disabling the antivirus realtime protection so, if you think you disabled the antivirus because you saw that message, it's not the case.

So, again, go in the Windows Defender settings, check the Exclusion setting and add the whole Addon Manager folder to it, and run the FSDT Live Update again.

But the problem might be a different one, are you using Windows 7 ?
« Last Edit: June 28, 2020, 12:53:17 am by virtuali »

Claus

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2020, 03:51:37 pm »
This PC runs with Windows 7.

I have deactivated MS Defender in total (see attached screen shot), again downloaded GSX and KMEM fresh from your home page, installed it and started FSX.

Nothing changed. KMEM is still empty - and the same with the other airports.

virtuali

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #13 on: June 28, 2020, 05:49:36 pm »
This PC runs with Windows 7.

I'm afraid we cannot guarantee any of our software will continue to work on it, since Windows 7 went entirely out of support this January and, when an OS is unsupported for users, it become unsupported for developers too, because we use Microsoft VC++ to compile the software, and when we update our tools ( Visual Studio ), we get newer versions of system libraries that our software inherits, which are normally distributed by Microsoft through regular Windows Updates.

But since Windows 7 is not being updated anymore, it's likely the reason the software doesn't run, is that you are missing some components that our software requires ( likely new VC++ redistributables ), and you might not even be able to install them, since they might even stopped to support Windows 7 themselves. While we haven't done anything to INTENTIONALLY block Windows 7, we have no chance to verify the latest version of our software still wok with it, that's why we now indicate Windows 8.1 as the minimum supported OS, even if we strongly suggest to use Windows 10.

The problem is, even if you had an old installer, due to Esellerate closing down last year, we had to switch to a different ecommerce provider ( Soraco QLM ) which can still activate old keys from Esellerate ( we uploaded them all on the new server ), but it requires the current version of the software, and with the old version, one that might still run on Windows 7, you won't be able to reactivate, because that version connected to Esellerate servers, which are no more.

So, I'm afraid you don't have many choice other than update to Windows 10, if you want to continue to use our products.

Claus

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Re: reinstallment failed totally
« Reply #14 on: June 29, 2020, 07:52:03 pm »
Well, this sounds to me like a prebuild text module to be used, when no solution is available.

But please keep in mind, that ten thousands of simmers and quite a lot of your customers still are using Windows 7. If you are right, they may run into the same trouble.

Don't you think, that in a case like mine an appropriate solution would be, just to deliver the same software (that was paid already) to the customer once again and free of charge this time? This, as you know, would cost FSDT not a single penny.

And just in case, that Windows 7 really could cause this kind of trouble, an honourable merchant - and this I am telling you as a lawyer - would give a warning to the customers on his homepage before they buy and pay the software.